Facts about Puerto Rico

Populated
for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the island was claimed by the Spanish Crown
in 1493 following COLUMBUS' second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400
years of colonial rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated
and African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a result
of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US citizenship in 1917.
Popularly-elected governors have served since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was
enacted providing for internal self government. In plebiscites held in 1967,
1993, and 1998, voters chose not to alter the existing political status.

Geography of Puerto Rico

Location:

Caribbean, island between
the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican
Republic

Coordinates:

18 15 N, 66 30 W

Area:

total: 9,104 sq km
water: 145 sq km
land: 8,959 sq km

Area comparative:

slightly less than three
times the size of Rhode Island

Land boundaries:

0 km

Coastline:

501 km

Maritime claims:

exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:

tropical marine, mild;
little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain:

mostly mountains, with
coastal plain belt in north; mountains precipitous to sea on west coast;
sandy beaches along most coastal areas

Elevation extremes:

lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Cerro de Punta 1,338 m

Natural resources:

some copper and nickel;
potential for onshore and offshore oil

Natural hazards:

periodic droughts;
hurricanes

Environment current issues:

erosion; occasional drought
causing water shortages

Geography - note:

important location along
the Mona Passage - a key shipping lane to the Panama Canal; San Juan is
one of the biggest and best natural harbors in the Caribbean; many small
rivers and high central mountains ensure land is well watered; south
coast relatively dry; fertile coastal plain belt in north

ratified 3 March 1952; approved by US
Congress 3 July 1952; effective 25 July 1952

Legal system:

based on Spanish civil code and within the
US Federal system of justice

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal; island
residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections

Executive branch:

chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the
US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January
2001)
head of government: Governor Anibal ACEVEDO-VILA (since 2 January 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor with the consent of the legislature
elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories,
such as Puerto Rico, do not vote in elections for US president and vice
president; however, they may vote in Democratic and Republican presidential
primary elections; governor elected by popular vote for a four-year term (no
term limits).

Legislative branch:

bicameral Legislative Assembly consists of the Senate (at
least 27 seats - currently 29; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve
four-year terms) and the House of Representatives (51 seats; members are directly elected
by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
note: Puerto Rico elects, by popular vote, a resident commissioner to serve a
four-year term as a nonvoting representative in the US House of Representatives; aside
from not voting on the House floor, he enjoys all the rights of a member of Congress

Judicial branch:

Supreme Court; Appellate Court; Court of First Instance
composed of two sections: a Superior Court and a Municipal Court (justices for all these
courts appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate)

Economy

Puerto Rico has one of the most dynamic economies in the Caribbean region.
A diverse industrial sector has far surpassed agriculture as the primary locus
of economic activity and income. Encouraged by duty-free access to the US and
by tax incentives, US firms have invested heavily in Puerto Rico since the
1950s. US minimum wage laws apply. Sugar production has lost out to dairy
production and other livestock products as the main source of income in the
agricultural sector. Tourism has traditionally been an important source of
income, with estimated arrivals of nearly 5 million tourists in 2004. Growth
fell off in 2001-03, largely due to the slowdown in the US economy, recovered
in 2004-05, but declined again in 2006-07.